Torpedo-launching apparatus for flying-machines.



F. A. WONDRA. TORPEDO LAUNCHING APPARATUS FOR FLYING MACHINES.

. APPLICATION FI'LED 'MAY 3. me. RENEWED nov. 19. m1.

Patented May-6, 1919-.

' WITNESSES:

i of New York,

' Torpedo-Launching Apparatus for Flyingv i illustrated in longitudinal4 UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK A. WONDRA, or SCHENECTADY,1\TEW YORK.

TORIPEDO-LAUNCHIFNG APPARATI'IS FOR FLYINGEMACHINESV Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented May 6, 1919.

Application filed May 3, 1916, Serial No. 95,222; Renewed November 19,1917, Serial No. 202,872.

I To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that'I, FRANK A. WoNoRA, a citizen of the United States,residing at Schenectady, county of Schenectady, State have invented new.and useful achines.-

My invention relates'to improvements in marine automobile torpedolaunching apparatus for flying machines, in Which the torpedoes arecarried through the air and can be started upon the flying machine andlaunched therefrom into the water witha high degree of accuracy in apredetermined course, all during the flight.

Another object of-my provide means to avoid ing of the torpedoes.

I attain "these objects by the mechanism the accompanying drawings inwhich Figure 1 is a side view of the appai ratus designed for twotorpedoes;'Fig. 2 is a transverse'sectional-viewon line A. A. of Fig.1., looking in directionof the arrows; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectionalview on line B. B. of Fig. 1 looking in the same direction; Fig. 1 is anenlarged view of the locking bar of the-upper torpedo-holder, showf mgthe safety bolt and Fig. 5 is an enlarged View of the locking bar of.the lower holder. The torpedoes E and E? and dot lines. 1 Thelongitudinal steel tubes C are built into the flying machines lowerframework .and support the apparatus with the torpedoes. v

torpedoare shown in dash Upon the tubes are fastened the upright ames 1,1 and 2, 2 which fit the diameters of the respective torpedoes. To theframes '1 and 2 are riveted the hoods 3 and 4whic'h are of sheet metaland fit the upper half. of the torpedo-head with an enlargement for theprotection of the strikers of the torpedoes.

The frames 1" and 2 have similar hoods 5 and 5 which fit the upper halfof the torpedo'tail and have openings 6 and 6 for the starting latches DandD of thetorpedoes.

These front and rear hoods hold the torpedo in the upper half tight andprevent any shifting of the same. To the frames 1 and 1 are pivoted thecrank levers 7 upon the lmprovements is to premature launch- 'thus thelocking bar for ivhen the locking bar is pulled bolts 8, and the thebolts 15 movably mounted and are connected together by the links 16.

are connected together by the the levers .14 upon he motion of thediflerentlever arms is shown 1n dash and dot lines in the drawmgs.

In normal position the outer lever arms of the crank levers 7 and 12form withthe connecting links 11 and 16 respectively, a

straight line.

The inward motion is limited by the pins 17 and 18. The inner lever armsof the levers 7 and of the connecting links 12 have antifriction rollers19 and 20 which slide in the curved grooves 21- and 22 of the lockingbars.

ach locking bar has two sets of grooves, one set to each frame and thecenter ribs 23 and 24 give the necessary strength and form the guidesupports for the bars, the guide wayparts of which are machined intoeach rame. H

The frames 1 and 1 have extending arms with hubs for the spars 25 whichconnect both the grooved b'arpieces together; the spars 25 are slidablysupported by each frame.

The connecting rod 26 which the center above the upper torpedo, connectsthe grooved barpi'eces located in front of the. frames 2 and 2 togetherand form the upper torpedoholder.

' The locking bars have hand-grips 27 and 28 respectively. The grip 27has a se mental extension 40 which is adapted to turn over the startinglatch D, of the torpedo but when pushed, the hinged extension 10 passesover the latch D without pressing it.

Upon the rod 26 is fastened a bracket '29 pulled.

The connection spar 29 makes the frames 2 and 2 more rigid. The innerlever arms of the levers 9 and 14 support movablythe glideshoes 30 and30 WhlChQfit the respective torpedo, and press the same agalnst thehoods of the frames.

another frame similar'to the frame 1* may placed about in the center ofgravity of the the starting latch Then the cranklevers parts of thetorpedo but the hood would be omitted.

To prevent premature launching of the" 'torpedoesthere is a. pin 31projecting into the connection spar from by the lever 32, the fulcrum ofwhich is supported ,by the frame 1*. Thedrawrod 33 is supported by thebracket 34 upon the connection spar 25. I

For the upper torpedo there is projecting into the-rib 24 of the lockingbar and lever '36 with drawrod.37 which has -a guide 38 built'into theframework'of the flying machine. -The fulcrum of the crank lever 36 issupported by the frame 2 The grooves 21 and 22'of the locking bars arepartly straight, take then a turn of 90 (see Figs. 1 and 5) and end at39 and 39 respectively forming thus openings through;

which the rollers 19 and 20 swing out.

This-launching apparatus is adaptable to any kind of flying cles, can bedesigned to hold one ormore torpedoes and is operated as follows: I

The locking bar is pulled out until-the rollers 20 slide through theopening 39 whereby the glideshoes hang freedownward. The torpedo E isthen hoisted by a suitable means (not shown) between the glideshoesagainst the hoods 3 and5 with the openings 39 into the grooves 22 of thelocking bar which is pushed forward until the'rollers reach .,the endsofv the straight grooves. This brings the glideshoes against the lowerhalf of the torpedo and the links 16 with the .outer arms of thelevers.12 into a straight line. i

The stresses resulting from pin is then pushed in a' corresponding -holein thelocking barand the torpedo is now firmly clutched in the launchingapparatus. v

The' lower torpedo E is brought into its position the same way as the Ebut with the corresponding levers and locking'bar.

In order to launch the torpedo the flying machine takes thecourse inwhich the torpe'do should be fired and descends as low as necessary tosave the torpedo from break- -ing when itfalls into water.

The lower torpedo E must be launchedfirst. It is assumed that theoperator seat is behind the tail of the lower torpedo. However, theconnecting spars and drawrods can be extended right to the aviator seatand operated therefrom.

By drawing the drawrod 33 the pin is withdrawn from the connection spar25 and 25 and is lifted there-1 21;';this swings the links 11 outwardand the weight of the torpedo acting upon the .glideshoes'30 helps todraw the rollers 19 the openings 39 whereby. all '.the

the pin 35 levers and links are freed andthe tor-' machines or aerialvehi" on the upper side. 12 are brought through i p the weight of thetorpedo as it presses against the glide-' approximately in line theirthe operator pulls on the handgrip 27 1 .whereby the segment turns overthe startthrough pedo slides upon the glideshoes 30 with its machineryworking, downward into water.

When the lower torpedo has been launched then the upper one can bereleased the same way by pulling the 'drawrod 37 and then on thehandgrip 28.

It is advisable to carry two torpedoes at the same time wherever aprotective obstruction is found before the ultimate target.

As the speed of" the torpedo 'in water is lower than the speed of theflying machine, the upper torpedo'although being launched later, willreach the obstruction first and cleaning the. same away by theexplosion, making thereby free passage for the lower torpedo which hasits ultimate effect.

The apparatus as be adjusted to pedoes or shells from aerial vehicleswhile in flight.

In accordance patent statutes, have-herein set forth the here describedcan also principles of my-invention and described the with theprovisions of the 1 been launched first, for

.95 hold and eject aerialtor' best embodiment. thereof at present knownto me. While, however, the invention extends to the particular apparatusdescribed and its various specific features and details and novelcombinations andarrangements of parts,

be otherwise carried out and embodied.

What I claim as new and desire to secure y Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is 1. In an apparatus for launching of marine automobiletorpedoes 'from flying maright frames spaced apart. longitudinally andfastened-upon the flying machine body;

fastened to the frames; a pair 'of crank levers mountit is not confinedthereto, but can 'chines the combination of a plurality of up-v ,7

ed above said hoods upon each frame and .adapted to'swing transverselyto the axis 0; the torpedo and having at the inner lever" arms each aroller; a locking bar mounted above said hoods upon said frames parallelto the axis of the torpedo and having grooves adapted to engage andrelease said rollers; a pair of levers mounted upon each frame with thelower contour of the torpedo, glideshoes movably mounted upon the innerarms of said levers and adapted to hold the torpedo against mounted uponeach paratus for aerial machines I rality aerial each a roller;

said hoods; connection links between said levers and said crank leversand means fas tened upon said lockin bar for actuating the startinglatch of the torpedo.

2. In a'torpedo carrying and ejecting ap- I paratus for aerial vehiclesin combination a plurality of upright frames spaced longitudina'llyapart and fastened to the body of the aerial vehicle; hoods fastened tosaid frames and adapted to engage the head and tail ofthe torpedo; aplurality of bell cranks frame above the torpedo and having on the innerlever arms a locking bar slidably-mounted upon said frames parallel tothe axis of the torpedo and having grooves adapted to engage and releasesaid rollers; a plurality of levers mounted upon the lower portion ofsaid frames and having at the inner lever arms-each a movable glideshoe;connecting links between said levers and said bellcranks.

3'. In a torpedo carrying and ejecting apa plurality of upright framesmounted upon the aerial machine and adapted to support thetorpedo at thehead and tail, a locking-bar slidably mounted upon said frames parallelto the torpedo and having grooves parallel to the torpedo axis withopenings in said grooves at rightangles to the longitudinal axis of thetorpedo, a plurality of members movably mounted upon said frames andhaving each a movable glideshoe pressing against the torpedo incombination with means engaging said members with said locking-bar andmeans disengaging said members fromsaid locking-bar.

4. In combination with an aerial machine, a torpedo of the submarineautomobile type having an external starting latch, a pluof uprightframes fastened to the, machine and having hoods adapted to engage theupper part of the head and tail of the torpedo, 'a plurality of leverspivotally mounted upon said frames and carrying each a movable glideshoeadapted to hold the torpedo against said hoods; means for retaining saidlevers and glide-shoes against the torpedo and means for releasing saidre-- taining means and simultaneously o. In a torpedo carrying andreleasing ap paratus for aerial machines a plurality of upright framesspaced longitudinally apart and fastened to the aerial machine, hoodsfastened to said frames and adapted to engage the head and tail of thetorpedo, one of said hoods having an opening for the torpedo startingdevice, a plurality of bellcranks pivotally mounted upon each frameabove the torpedo and having on the inner lever arms each a roller, alocking-bar slidably mounted upon said frames and having grooves adaptedto engage andreleasesaid rollers, means for holding said locking-barstationary in said frames, a pluralityof levers pivotally mounted uponthe lower pmtion of said frames and having at the inner between saidlevers and said bel'lcranks and means for actuating the starting det iceof the torpedo.

In an apparatus for launching of marine automobile torpedoes from aerialmachines in combination a plurality of upright frames spaced apartandfastened to the aerial machine, hoods upon said frames adapted to engagethe head and tail of the torpedo, a plurality mounted upon each frameand having on the inner lever arms each a roller, lockingbars slidablymounted upon said frames and havin grooves lease said rollers, aplurality of levers pivotally mounted upon'the lower portion of saidframes and having at the inner leverarms each a movable glideshoe,connecting links between said levers and said bellcranks, means foractuating the starting device ofthe torpedo andmeans for disengagingsaid locking-bar from said frames.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my ha'nd this 2d day of May,1916. w

FRANK A. WON DRA.

of bellcranks pivotally adapted to engage and re-

